The federal government has tasked the Nigerian Army to protect the lives of women and youth farmers across the country.
Barrister Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye, the Minister of Women Affairs, disclosing the development during a press briefing in Abuja, expressed concerns over low living of women as statistics showed that only 10% of women owned properties in Nigeria.
Her words: “The ministries of women Affairs will partner with the Nigerian Army in security to allow women to have a peaceful farming this season; the Army are doing everything possible to get surplus food back to the market. Nigeria of today is for the masses, we do not want to continue having the poor but to work hard, she said.
“It is disheartening to know that only 10% of women owned properties in Nigeria, that is not good enough, if we are able to empower women, things will go on well.
“We are going to bring in companies and donors that will teach, train and empower women on how to trade”.
She further said that purchase and distribution of empowerment equipment for women in the six Geo political Zone for poverty alleviation and increased entrepreneurship activities was done recently in 15 states including Anambra, Kano, Rivers, Imo, Lagos, Oyo, Kastina, Gombe, Kebbi, Adamawa, Ebonyi, Niger, Bayelsa, Benue and Jigawa.
The equipment distributed were garri processing machines, garri frying machines, industrial sewing machines, overlock weaving industrial machines, holding machines, heavy Industrial Iron, fish smoking machines, 4,000 litres fish bucket and rice milling.
Others included, cutting machines cloth, Taping machines, steam pressing machines, sewing machines for stretches and stitches.
